Paper-feeding mechanism for printing presses



June 26, 1923 A. P. HART PAPER FEEDING MECHAN ISM F'OR PRINTING PRESSES Filed March 9 ALBERTEHAW come this objection sheet of paper Patented June 26, 1923.

' ALBERT P.1HART, or SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA.

PAPER-FEEDING MECHANISM FOR-PRINTING PRESSES.

Application filed March 9, 1922. Serial No. 542,266.

"T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT P. HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Ana, in the county of Orange and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Paper-Feeding Mechanism for Printing Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to paper feeding mechanism for printing presses, particularly of the Miller type, wherein vertically movable lifting heads are provided'for elevating sheets of paper to a point from which they are conveyed to the press.

In feeding mechanism of this'type, the

feeding of sheets of paper singly is not at all times insured, because of the tendency of the sheets to adhere to one another, which results in the lifting andconveying to the press of two or moresheets at a time.

His the purpose of my invention to overand. the resulting disadvantages by providing an attachment for paper feeding mechanisms which is operated by the mechanism to effect the loosening of each sheet from an adjacent sheet prior to the lifting operation of the lifting heads, so that the elevation-of only a single at a time will at all times be insured.

Although I will describe only one form of attachment embodying my invention and point out the novel features thereof in claims, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of such claims.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a view showing in fruit elevation certain portions of a paper feeding mechanism of the Miller type having applied thereto one form of attachment embodying my invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the loosening foot of the attachment in active and inactive positions. respectively;

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the loosening foot and supporting arm embodiediin the attachment shown in, the preceding views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, in which similar parts are designated by similar reference characters, the paper feeding mechanism here shown comprises a table T,

upon which the sheets of paper adapted to be fed to the press are supported, and sustained on the table is a frame designated F which includes a bar B spanning and connecting the sides of the frame. Lifting heads H are formed on the lower ends of rods R. and these rods are mounted for vertical sliding movement within sleeves S, with which latter mechanism is associated for'effecting a reciprocating movement of the rods to lower andelevate the several heads into and out of contact with the sheets of paper supported upon the table T.

The heads H are of the suction type, and flexible pipes P are connected with the heads through which a vacuum is created within the heads for causing the sheets of paper to adhere to the latter, as will be clearly understood. A hollow bar C rigidly connects all of the heads H, so that their vertical movement is simultaneous with respect to one another.

The attachment forming the subjectmatter or my invention comprises in the present instance a yoke 15 so formed as to embrace the bar C and to be securely held thereon by means of a. clamping screw 16 which is threadedly fitted in one portion of the yoke so as to be adjustable to engage or disengage the bar in clamping or releasing the yoke, as will be understood. An arm 17 is formed integral with the yoke 15, and this arm is of Lshaped form. with its vertical portion extending above the bar C and formingv a mounting for a bell crank lever 18. As plainly shown in Figure 2, the lever 18 is fulcrumed at the point indirated at 19, with one arm thereof extended into a socket member 20 and retained therein .by means of a screw 21. The screw 21 is also designed for the purpose of determining the lowermost position of the lever 18 by engaging with the intermediate head H, and to lock the screw in any desired position. a lock nut 22 is mounted on the shank of the screw for engagement with the socket 20. The socket 20 is formed with suitable openings to removably receive the arms of a spring w1re support 23, these arms normally tending to expand so that when conber or anyother suitable material which.

'. w'ill secure the necessary gripping action with respect to the sheets of paper."

The lever 18 is'ad'apted to be rocked during the movement of the heads H by a coiled contractile spring 25 connected at its lower' end to the lever and at its upper end to a screw 26threadedly fitted in a bracket 27, The bracket 2 7 is constructed to embrace the bar B and to be securely held thereon by means of the screw 26. An extension 28 is formed in the upper end of the lever ls,

and this extension is'designed to cooperate With'a stop member 29 for defining the po- I their uppermost'positions;

'sitiono f the lever when't-he heads H are in -In the operation ofthe paper feeder, the

7 several 'headsH are-moved from the lower 7 to belifted from the table for 'positionsshown in- Figure 2 to the upper positions shown in Figure 3, and during this heads which serves to cause a sheet of paper subsequent conveyance to the press. The suction withint-he heads H is only momentary or sufficiently long to elevate the paper to the desired point, and until. the conveying mecha-- nism operates to remove the paper from the.

heads for delivery to the press,-

With. the heads H in'their uppermost position as shown in Figure 3, the extension 28*is'in' engagement with .the stop member 29; so that the lower arm of the'lever '18 is depressed substantiallyin a horizontal plane. As the head moves do'Wnjvvardl'y, carrying with it the lever 18, the spring 25 is expand; ed,'thereby causing the lever to swing .in a

clockwise direction, aswhen viewed from the uppermost sheet-of Figure 2, causing the lowering of the loosening foot 24 until it actually contactsfwith the pile of paper con- "-tainedon 1 the table 1T; "As previously described, the lowermost'position of the lever is'defined by. the adjustment of the screw 21,

and-it will be understood that the screw .is so adjusted] that in the lowermost position of the lever the foot 24 will have a substantiallyfirm engagement with the uppermost] sheet of paper. However, prior to this final lowermost"position*of the foot, it actually contacts with the uppermost sheet of paper ibeforemthe. heads H reach their lowermost position, so ,that the foot exerts an upward pressure-en. the lever to swing the latter for a" short distance in -a clockwise direction.

; It is during this movementof thellever that the footQQ is moved outwardly from the heads and over the uppermost sheet of paper, thereby loosening the latter from the adjacent sheetand causing it to slightly buckle indicated in Figure 2. Conse .when-a suction is created within the" heads H'fto;gr'ipthe uppermost sheet of paper, this operation will be accomplished .without thenext sheet adhering thereto so by the movable member, a lever sustained for rocking movement on the movable member, means connected to said lever and to the stationary member for'e'flecting move-- ment of the lever about its own axis when. the movable member is moved, and aloosening member carried by the lever and adapted to engage the paper on said table during the movement of the movable member toward the paper whereby when the movable member is in actual engagement with the papergthe loosening member will be moved to effect the loosening of the uppermost sheet of paper;

2. In combination, a paper feeding mechanism for presses including a paper sheet supportingtable and movable lifting members, a foot, a member supporting said foot and associated with the members to be rocked in one direction by the engagement of said foot with, the paper on said table, such movement being in advance of the ena movable member gagement of the lifting members with the paper whereby said foot is caused. to move parallel with the table for effecting a loosening of the uppermost sheet.

3. In combination, a paper feeding mechanism including astationary bar, a movable bar, lifting heads carried by the movable bar, a lever sustained for rocklngmove-' :ment on the movable bar, a contractile spring connected to said lever and to the stationary bar for effecting movement of the lever about its own axis when the movable bar is moved, a loosening foot carried b the lever, a screw adjustable to define the pendently of the lever, a spring connecting I the lever with said bracket, and a stop member mounted on the bracket and adapted to be en aged by said extension.

5. n combinatioma paper feeding mechanism including a stationary member, a

movable member. lifting heads carried by the movable member, a lever sustained for rocking movement on the movable member, resllient means connected to said lever and v to the stationary member for effecting movement of the lever about its own axis when the movable member is moved, a loosening member carried by the lever, a member adjustable to define the movement of said lever in one direction, and a stop member associated with the stationary member for defining the movement of the lever in the other direction.

6. An attachment of the character described, comprising a yoke, a lever pivoted on the yoke, a socket receiving one end of the lever, a member extending through said socket and lever and adjustable therein, a support ren'iovably associated with the socket, a loosening member carried by 'the support, an extension formed on the lever,

a bracket adapted to be sustained independently of the lever a resilient member connecting the member with said bracket, and a stop member mounted onthe bracket and adapted to he engaged by said extension.

7. An attachment of the character described. comprising a lever adapted to be sustained for locking movement. on a movable member, resilient means adapted to effect movement of the lever upon movement of the movable member. a loosening foot carried by the lever. a member adjustable to define the movement of the lever in one direction. and a stop member for defining the movement of the lever in the other direction. I

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name. to this specification.

ALBERT P. HART. 

